Well, my Red 90 SPG that was a clipped car is getting sold today. You may recall my thread in the c900 section (search for clipped car).

This makes room for the Grey 89 SPG that is sort of half mine, half my dad's. I say half/half, because technically, I bought it, gave it to him for 10 years, my mom is sick of it and wants it gone, and since I am letting the red car go, I said I'd bring it up here to fix it up. Probably for keeps, will just take a few to convince my dad, he loves this car.

I figured I'd do a for-real project-documenting thread as I slowly bring it back to what is hopefully as new condition. I'll keep the car totally stock.

History on this car... I bought it in LA, CA in 1998... iT had been garaged its whole life in LA and I got it for a steal. In 1999 we went to the last convention out in Colorado and the car got 2nd place in the c900 stock category.

My dad then drove the car for the past 10 years... and thus it was a california car that then moved to Florida with my folks. So. NO RUST. Best part about this car. I have some pics below of the trunkwell, the front bumper mounts. Not even the suspension has surface rust. woohoo ! The downside is that my dad even though he tries, lets his dogs in the car, parks it under sappy pine trees, leaves it outside during tropical storms... so the car has great bones, but has suffered in the cosmetics dept a bit.

Mechanically, it has approx 155K... trans and engine operate well. Not the fastest SPG for some reason (base boost is probably way way low) but engine starts and idles perfectly, no clatter. The only real mechanical things to fix are the shifter is wonky, steering has a big fluid leak, something is up with the brakes... too soft (even though I put a new m/cyl in it 2 years ago for him).

So -- here's the pics to kick it off. You see the rear seat and front bumper inside it. I have better headlights, grille, etc I'll eventually put on (from my attic parts stash). The inside needs a super deep cleaning. Upside to Florida is that its garaged and doesn't rust there. Downside is that white sand is everywhere in the car.

That's the 93 CE in the background by the way. I've already taken apart the front end to survey the scene.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3610/3395855926_3d25e1937e.jpg
I haven't seen front bumper mounts this virginal in 10 years. Def got an oil cooler line leak too.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3551/3395037709_503971d2c2.jpg

Hood will have to be repainted. Paint on hood is not original (I think it was a replacement hood though as no signs of bondo/bent metal/etc). Can't see it well in pic but clearcoat is totally failed, bubby, rough. It looks bad. Probably trunk too. Rest of paint is spot on and will clean up very very well.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3632/3395848118_019d91a658.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3417/3395869536_59318d7763.jpghttp://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/3395873596_9084131639.jpg*
More of the car, inside and out. Check out that drivers seat. Nice huh? Interior's in good shape, just dirty. The pass seat is all cracked and gnarly though and I'll swap out the leather. Door panels need to be redone too eventually. But cleaning will be most of it inside.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3455/3395071097_53ce518776.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3635/3395891994_07b862b23e.jpg

Steering wheel's not too bad but cracked and slimy feeling. Needs new leather.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3646/3395902240_47623693f1.jpg

(CONTINUED)

Back seat and front bumper are in the trunk there... see them hiding ?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3607/3395888024_2d73a0f186.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3580/3395909828_db4c6351e7.jpg
And I'm taking my Aero's I had refinished a couple years back and putting them on the car. So far just one's on. Rainy tornado weather yesterday didn't help.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3459/3395093419_ac57cc7015.jpg

and +5 hp of course for these. upside is that they look brand new. unpainted. and the seals that go around them are in great shape unlike most others I've had...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3542/3395886214_6a731e9a15.jpg

And my favorite pic. Because more than anything I hate rust. So.. check out the spare tire well. Almost looks new.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3474/3395916538_160814a77d.jpg
So cool. THe underside of this car just has a layer of dust... no rust anywhere. So psyched to work on a car with none of the rust crap and fasteners rusted all to hell.

That's all for now... more soon.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3623/3395106729_34147c80b8.jpg

that looks really good man.
clean and full of potential.

keep up the good work.

i was wondering if you could answer a couple questions for me?

1. have you ever installed an aftermarket radio in one of your cars?
mine has the factory cassette deck with clarion eq in the console. I have a minty new pioneer cd player with bluetooth and ipod control, but I cant find an install harness anywhere for this car.

2. the rubber that is on my gauge bezel around my cluster and vents is beginning to come off. any ideas on what to attach that back on with?

I took apart my interior since my batwing / 3 door pop out rear side windows were leaking a bit. Just wanted to make sure that the car isn't rusting out the floors from the inside. A couple pics here.

I plan on installing a power drivers seat in the car... and getting rid of the passenger side passive belt (motorized seatbelt) in the process too.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3588/3406310149_04d86c4e3b.jpg
Had to put the drivers seat back in since I'm still driving it.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3571/3406310099_0204d0c46d.jpg
Floorboards look pretty damn good. No real rust or corrosion had set in which is great. I hate fixing rusty floors.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3566/3406310217_92d2d71693.jpg
As far as answers to your questions:

Yep, many times installed aftermarket radios. The best way to install an aftermarket radio is to go to crutchfield.com and buy their harness for the car... i think they have them for the c900's for at least around 88 or 89 and up. It's 10 bucks or so. that way no wire splicing.
Or you can of course just cut and splice wires (with soldering / connectors / etc).

As for the gauge bezel rubber, no real good way to reglue it on. just buy another one new (you can get just the stickon rubber from saab or saabsite.com for maybe $150) or get a good used one from a salvage yard. i've tried gluing down with adhesive, and if you can do it without making a mess, what I've found is that the sun / heat of the summer time will cause it to fail again.

Thanks alot,
I got the stereo installed today. it was actually no problem at all without a harness. Sounds great and now I have room in my console for my gauges.

i going to try and glue the rubber first. getting any good saab parts down here in Fl is rough.

i just need to find the stickiest crap out there i guess.
its driving me nuts

Yeah a real rust free car. A keeper for sure.

A blast to work on I bet, nice colour too.

Wow, that car is in AMAZING condition - the total opposite to my project "rust recovery" hahaha. You are a lucky man!

-Dan